Golf game apparatus with electrical scoring means



Nov. 19, 1968 D. M. BLANDING 3,411,788

GOLF GAME APPARATUS WITH ELECTRICAL SCORING MEANS Filed Sept. 29, 1966.uwillrl III I N VEN T013. 9022 M ihfldl? ATTOR/VA'Y United StatesPatent 3,411,788 GOLF GAME APPARATUS WITH ELECTRICAL SCORING MEAN Don M.Blanding, P.0. Drawer 1527, Sumter, S.C. 29150 Continuation-impart ofapplication Ser. No. 437,505, Mar. 5, 1965. This application Sept. 29,1966, Ser. No. 582,840

6 Claims. (Cl. 273-176) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A transparent sheetmaterial barrier including a golf ball target opening is positionedforwardly of a decorated impact curtain. Movement of the impact curtaincauses a tension element to close an electrical switch which actuates ascoring device. A ball return trough extends between target and tee-offareas.

This invention is a continuation-in-part of my prior copendingapplication Serial Number 437,505, filed Mar. 5, 1965, now abandoned,for Golf Game Apparatus Having Impact Curtain.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a golf game orpractice apparatus of the type disclosed in said prior application andincluding several improvement features. In said prior applicationstructure, the user of the apparatus stands at one end of the apparatusand with a preferred golf club propels a golf ball at a target openingin a first curtain or barrier near the remote or target end of theapparatus. If the user is successful in propelling the ball through thetarget opening, the ball then strikes a second freely suspended impactcurtain somewhat rearwardly of the first curtain and the second curtainstops the flight of the ball and allows it to fall gently into a returntrough leading back to the front of the apparatus.

The present invention adds two key improvements to the above apparatus,the first of which consists of making the first curtain or barrier withthe target opening transparent and applying suitable scenery to thesecond or impact curtain behind it, giving the user the illusion ofdepth and increasing the sensation of reality. The scenery on the impactcurtain may consist of elements of a golf course, such as traps, treesand a green.

The second improvement feature consists in connecting a switch to thesuspended end of the impact curtain and having this switch electricallyconnected in a circuit which includes a source of current and anysuitable electrical scoring device in easy view of the user. Wheneverthe golf ball strikes the suspended impact curtain, it will tension amember which has the switch connected therein and close the normallyopen switch to complete the circuit with the scorin device. The impactcurtain relaxes again, after being struck with the ball, and tension isrelieved in the switch-supporting element and the switch returnsautomatically to the open condition, ready for the next scoring cycle ofoperation when the next golf ball strikes the flexible impact curtain.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this applicatiion and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a golf gameapparatus embodying the improvements;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1;and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section taken on line3-3 of FIGURE 2. In the drawings, wherein for the purpose ofillustration 1s shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, thenumeral 10 designates a suitable base which slopes upwardly gradually toa crest 11 spaced a substantial distance forwardly of a player station12 near the front of the apparatus, the player station 12 adapted toreceive golf balls which are to be driven toward the target at theremote end of the apparatus.

Beyond the crest 11, the base 10 slopes downwardly as at 13 toward atransversely inclined ball return gutter 14 on the forward side of atransparent preferably somewhat flexible barrier curtain or sheet 15which extends fully across the width of the apparatus and for its entireheight substantially as disclosed in said prior application.

The apparatus further comprises an enclosure including a roof 16 andpreferably mesh side walls 17 and a rear wall 18, all suitably supportedabove the base 10 and preferably constructed so that the apparatus maybe easily assembled and disassembled.

Rearwardly of the transparent barrier or curtain 15, there is suspendeda flexible material impact or target curtain 19 which is opaque and hassuitable scenery 20 imprinted thereon, as shown, this scenery preferablyconstituting typical elements of a golf course such as a putting greenand surrounding traps, etc. The impact curtain is suspended from theroof 16 at its top, as indicated by way of example at 21. The forwardtransparent curtain 15 has a target opening 22 formed therethroughcentrally of the impact or target curtain 19 so that a ball 23, FIGURE3, passing through the opening 22 will strike the impact curtain 19centrally and drive the impact curtain rearwardly tending to stretch it,as shown in FIG- URE 3.

A second section 24 of ball return trough is located below the impactcurtain 19 and on the rear side of transparent barrier 15. The twotrough Sections 14 and 24 lead into a longitudinal ball return gutter 25at one side of the apparatus, said gutter leading back to the front ofthe apparatus as shown in FIGURE 1, substantially as described in saidprior application.

In the present invention, the lower edge of suspended curtain 19 isconnected with a tension element 26, such as a cable or rope, as shownat 27. The other end of this tension element 26 is firmly anchored as at28 to one side of the apparatus or housing. Suspended bodily within thetension element 26 is a normally open electrical switch 29 adapted toclose for completing a circuit when the element 26 is placed undertension due to a golf ball striking the flexible impact curtain 19. Whenthe curtain again relaxes after being struck, the switch 29 reopensautomatically. The switch per 'se is a conventional item but itsmounting within the tension element 26 with the latter anchored betweenthe impact curtain and a rigid part of the structure constitutes a novelfeature of the invention.

The switch 29 has its terminals connected in a simple circuit having asuitable source of current and a cable 30 leads from the switch to aconventional electrical scoring device 31 of any preferred type mountedupon one side of the apparatus enclosure and preferably grounded asdepicted generally in FIGURE 1. Whenever the switch 29 closesmomentarily due to tensioning of the element 26 when a golf ball strikesthe curtain 19, a current impulse passes to the scoring device 31 toindicate visually that a golf ball has successfully passed through theopening 22 and struck the target. The number of such hits may beaccumulated visually on the device 31 or other suitable scoring indiciamay be employed. After completion of play as determined by particularrules, the unit 31 may be reset manually or automatically and the unit31 per se may be a conventional commercial item.

In other respects, the apparatus closely resembles the apparatus in thementioned prior application and it is thought that no furtherdescription of the general construction is necessary herein.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scopeof the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A golf game apparatus comprising-an elongated base having a targetend and a player end, an enclosure for said base including side wallsand a roof, a first golf ball barrier formed of transparent sheetmaterial near the target end and having a golf ball target openingformed therethrough generally centrally, a second barrier spacedrearwardly of the first barrier and having scenery imprinted thereonviewable through the transparent sheet material of the first barrier andbeing aligned with the target opening so that a golf ball passingthrough the target opening will strike the second barrier tending tomove it, a tension element connected with the second barrier, a normallyopen electrical switch connected in the tension element adapted to beclosed to complete a circuit when the second barrier is moved by thegolf ball striking it and stretches said tension element, and anelectrical scoring device viewable by the player connected with saidswitch.

2. The invention as defined by claim 1, and wherein the second barrieris a flexible impact barrier suspended at its top from said enclosureand said tension element is a single element connected with the loweredge of the second barrier and with a stationary structural part of saidapparatus, said switch connected in said element being bodily supportedby the element.

3. The invention as defined by claim 1, and a return trough for golfballs extending from a point near said target end to a point near saidplayer end of the apparatus.

4. A golf game apparatus comprising a body portion including anelongated base and an enclosure including a roof, a forward golf ballbarrier curtain of transparent sheet material arranged substantiallyvertically near one end of the body portion and extending forsubstantially the full height and width of the body portion and having agolf ball target opening therein, a suspended flexible opaque decoratedcurtain spaced rearwardly of the transparent curtain and beingsubstantially vertical and being in alignment with the target openin toreceive the impact of a golf ball propelled through the target opening,an electrical switch, an electrical scoring device connected with saidswitch and mounted to be viewable by the player, and an elementinterconnecting the suspended decorated curtain with said switch andcausing actuation of the switch to energize the scoring device when aball strikes the suspended curtain causing tensioning of said element.

5. The invention as defined by claim 4, and wherein said element is aflexible cable-like element having a direct connection with the switchand a direct connection with the suspended decorated curtain near thelower end thereof.

6. The invention as defined by claim 4, and wherein said switch isconnected within said element and the ends of the element are secured tothe suspended curtain and a fixed member of the body portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,660,339 2/1928 Kaufmann 273l821,889,813 12/1932 Smith 273-185 3,310,310 3/1967 McKee 273182 X FOREIGNPATENTS 1,020,204 2/1966 Great Britain.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE J. 'MARLO, Assistant Examiner.

